The Professor's Mate Clause novel Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

FREYA’S POV

They took him.

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I watched them chain Adrian with silver and throw him into that van like he was nothing and I did nothing. Just stood there choking in Kelvin’s grip while they drove away with him.

“Let me go.” My voice is hoarse from screaming. “Let me so you bastard.”

Kelvin releases me suddenly, I stumbled and hit myself in the ground hard. My palms scrape against concrete.

“Go then. Run to your pathetic pack. See if they can save your precious Alpha.” He spits on the ground near my hand. “You have twenty four hours. Then we start hurting him. Really hurting him.” 2

He gets in the last remaining vehicle. They drive off. Leaving us in the wreckage. In the blood. In the failure.

Marcus limps over. He shifted back. His leg is torn open. Bleeding badly. “Freya. Are you hurt?”

“Adrian.” The name comes out broken. “They took Adrian. We have to go after them. We have to get him back.”

“We will. But first we get Clara to safety. She’s minutes from death.” Marcus grabs my arm. Pulls me up. “Come on. Dr. Chen is

waiting.”

Clara. Right. Clara is dying too. Because of me. Because I insisted on coming. Because I am weak and useless and everyone keeps getting hurt trying to protect me.

The other pack members load Clara into the one vehicle that still runs. She looks so pale. So lifeless. Blood everywhere.

This is my fault. All of it.

We drive to the warehouse. Dr. Chen is already there. He takes one look at Clara and starts barking orders. His hands move fast. Checking vitals. Stopping bleeding. Doing things I cannot watch.

I sit against the wall. Staring at nothing. The bond in my chest is pulled so tight it hurts. Adrian is alive. I can feel him. But he is in pain. The silver chains are burning him. I can feel that too.

“Freya.” Marcus sits next to me. Someone bandaged his leg. “We need to talk.”

“About what? About how I got Adrian captured? About how Clara is dying About how everything is my fault?”

“About how we get him back.”

I look at him. Really look at him. He is exhausted. Covered in wounds. Barely holding himself together. “How? How do we get him back when we do not even know where they took him?”

“We have contacts. Informants. We’ll find out where Asher is holding him.” Marcus leans his head back against the wall. “But there’s a problem.”

“Of course there is.”

“The Council. They’re demanding we prioritize Clara’s recovery. Demanding we regroup before attempting any rescue. tightens, “They say going after Adrian now is suicide. That we’re too weak”

His jaw

“They want us to abandon him?”

“They want us to be smart. To not lose more wolves on a rescue mission that might fail.” Marcus looks at me. “They’re calling an emergency meeting. Demanding I attend. Demanding I follow orders.”

“And if you don’t?”

CHAPTERSA

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“Then they strip me of my position. Cast me out as rogue. Take away any authority I have to command these wolves.” His voice gets quiet. “Which means no coordinated rescue. No pack support. Nothing.”

The walls feel like they are closing in. “So what do we do?”

“We follow protocol. I go to the meeting Argue our case. Try to get approval for a rescue mission.” He does not sound hopeful.” You stay here. Keep Clara alive. Keep yourself safe.”

“That’s it? That’s the plan? Sit here while Adrian is being tortured?”

“That’s reality Freya. I don’t have the authority to launch a rescue without Council approval. Not when we lost this many wolves tonight. Not when our Alpha is captured.” Marcus stands. Winces. “I know it’s not what you want to hear. But it’s the truth.”

He walks away. Starts coordinating with the other pack members. Making plans I do not want to hear.

I sit there feeling the bond stretch. Feeling Adrian’s pain pulse through it. He is being hurt. Right now. While I do nothing.

Dr. Chen appears. “She’s stable. For now. But she needs a real hospital. Real equipment. I’ve done all I can here.”

“Will she live?”

“If we get her proper care in the next few hours, yes. If not…” He does not finish. Does not need to.

“I thought werewolves had the ability to heal quick”

“Yes my Luna”

That name he called me felt heavy, it felt like I want suit for it.

“Werewolves have the ability to heal quick but Clara is beyond healing naturally, she’s deeply wounded, its either she’s marked. my her mate or drinks and alpha’s blood for quick recovery otherwise we treat her this way we are doing it now”

“Alpha…. Right Adrian is an alpha we-

“No Luna, we can’t, she would automatically be his mate if we do so”

“Shit, fuck, fuck, dang”

Another person dying because of me. Another life on my conscience.

I stand up. Walk outside. The night air is cold. Biting. I wrap my arms around myself but it does not help. Nothing helps.

My phone buzzes. A text from an unknown number.

Your mate is alive. For now. If you want him to stay that way you’ll do exactly what I say.

My heart stops. I text back with shaking fingers.

Who is this?

Someone who can get you inside Asher’s compound. Someone who wants to help. But you have to come alone.

Why would you help me?

Because keeping Adrian alive serves my interests. Be at the old church on Maple Street in one hour. Come alone or the deal is off The message ends. No more responses no matter how many times I text back.

This is stupid. Obviously a trap. Obviously dangerous. Obviously something Adrian would forbid me from doing.

But what choice do I have? Sit here waiting for Council approval that might never come? Watch Adrian suffer through the bond while I do nothing?

CHAPTERRA

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No. I cannot do that. Will not do that.

I check on Clara one more time. She is unconscious but breathing. Dr. Chen says the next few hours are critical.

Marcus is on the phone arguing with someone. Probably the Council. He sounds furious,

I slip out quietly. No one notices. They are att too busy with their own problems. Their own crisis.

The walk to the church takes thirty minutes. My shoulder aches where I injured it during training. My whole body feels like one giant bruise. But I keep moving.

The church is old. Abandoned. Windows broken. Door hanging off its hinges. The perfect place for an ambush.

I push the door open anyway. Step inside. Moonlight streams through the holes in the roof. Dust everywhere. Broken pews. Religious symbols vandalized.

“Hello?” My voice echoes. “I’m here. Like you said.”

A figure steps from the shadows. Tall. Familiar. My stomach drops.

“Hello Freya.” Kelvin’s voice. “Glad you could make it.”

I turn to run. The door slams shut. Two more wolves appear blocking it.

Trapped. Of course I am trapped.

“Did you really think someone would help you?” Kelvin walks closer. “Did you really think there was a way to save Adrian that didn’t involve you surrendering?”

“You lied. There’s no deal. No way inside.”

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